Disclaimer: I confess. I still do not own Yugioh or any of the characters. Just borrowing them for the story!

Author's Notes: Thank you to all who reviewed!

\ Yugi to Yami \

\\ Yami to Yugi \\

Warnings: Mild violence and language, so far.

Listening With The Heart

Chapter Three: Tunnel Vision

Joey found himself walking in what appeared to be a dark tunnel. It was so dark, he could barely see where he was going. In the distance, there was a figure moving towards him. As the figure drew nearer, he could see that it was a young girl, about the same height as Yugi. She had long raven black hair that was pulled back in a high ponytail on her head, and radiant deep blue eyes. She was dressed in what appeared to be a long white gown. Finally, she stopped in front of him. She smiled at him warmly. .

"Are you an angel?" he asked.

"Indeed I am!" She chirped back happily. "You need to go back now, Joey."

He looked back towards the tunnel. He couldn't see anything but a very long corridor and most of it was shrouded in darkness. He turned back towards the angel. "Why?"

"Because it's not your time yet."

He looked back again at the tunnel. To him, it just looked long, dark..and cold. "I...I don't think..I wanna go back."

"Oh, dear...this isn't going to be easy, is it?" She paused. "Why don't you want to go back, Joey?"

He signed. "I dunno...I guess I'm jus' tired..."

"Tired?" The angel blinked.

"Yeah, I'm tired. I'm tired of everything. I'm tired of being second best all the time. I'm tired of school, I'm tired of Kaiba, I'm tired of...." he trailed off.

"Your father....." the angel finished for him.

He frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, I am! So, no I don't wanna go back! Ya got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, actually, I do." She said softly.

"So you're gonna make me go back anyway, ain't cha?"

"No, Joey, I'm not. I cannot force you to do anything. You have the gift of free will. That is your choice to make."

Joey blinked. "Ya mean I don't have to go back if I don't want to?"

"No, Joey. You don't You can choose to walk away."

"Well then, that's my choice. I choose to walk away."

"However...."

"HA! I knew there was a catch! There always is!!"

"However...," She repeated, "It is my job to try and convince you otherwise."

"Yeah? Well, give yer best shot!" He smirked.

"I intend to. You seem pretty determined not to go back"

"Ya got that right!"

"Hmm..." the little angel thought for a moment. "So it looks like I might need a little help here"

Yugi sat in the hospital waiting room, his large purple eyes fixated on the ground. Kaiba was sitting across the room from him. After he had gone back to his office, he had called for his limo to take him to Domino City Hospital. He figured that they would take Joey there since it was the closest hospital. Plus, he knew that they had an excellent trauma unit. Of course, he had been right. When he had arrived, he had asked Yugi if he had called his grandfather to tell him what happened. Yugi hadn't; he was still too upset to even think straight. Kaiba could see that Yugi was clearly in no shape to make the call, so he had offered to call for him. Yugi gratefully gave him the number. Kaiba had called Yugi's grandpa, and Solomon had told him that he would inform the rest of Joey's friends and family.

\ He'll be all right, won't he, Yami? \

\\ I'm sure he will, aibou. Joey is a very strong person.\\

\ I hope you're right. \

\\ Have faith, Yugi. \\

Suddenly, Yugi could no longer feel the presence of his Yami. One second he was there, the next second he was simply...not. He grasped the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck and it felt strangely cold.

\ Yami? Yami! YAMI!! \